Jim Murphy Is New Scottish Labour Party Leader

Murphy, MP for East Renfrewshire, was elected with more than half of the vote, ahead of Holyrood health spokesman Neil Finlay and former Scottish Executive minister Sarah Boyack.

The leadership contest was sparked when Johann Lamont stood down suddenly, accusing colleagues in Westminster of treating Scotland like a "branch office".

Kezia Dugdale, MP for the Lothian region, was also elected as the party's deputy leader.

Murphy, a former Scottish secretary, picked up a total of 55.7% of the vote in the leadership contested, putting him ahead of nearest rival Findlay, who secured 34.99% and Ms Boyack, who came in third with 9.24%.

Afterwards he said it was a "remarkable honour".

Murphy, addressing Labour party members at the Glasgow Emirates Arena, declared: "This is a fresh start for Scottish Labour.

"Scotland is changing and so too must Scottish Labour. I'm ambitious for our party because I'm ambitious for our country."